Display chest



Aug. 21, 1 923. 1,465.850

W. A. KINSMAN ET AL DISPLAY CHEST Filed.Au9;. ll 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I g F E j Q i I l 1' 3 g E H i 1 l l illinesw fizvenfar:'

Aug. 21, 1923.

W. A. KlNSMAN ET AL DISPLAY CHEST e m m Patented Aug. 21 1923.

UNITED STATES rA r Nr caries.

WILLIAM A. KINSMAN AND HAROLD E. NOCK, OF NEWBUEYPOB'I, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOBS TO TOVLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NENBUEYPORT, MASSA- CHUSETTS, A CORPQRATION OF IYIASSACIIUSETTS- DISPLAY CHEST.

Application filed August 11, 1921. Serial No. 491,446.

1' '0 all to 711-0102. it may c eme:

Be it known that "a e, WILLIAM A. Kins- MAN and llixnonoE-liecn, citizens of the United States, residing at Newburyport, in

5 th county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and use.' 1 T provements in Display Chests; and we do hereby declare the ,bllowing to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, 0 such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to chests for containing silverware and the like, and more particularly to such chests as used for dis playing flat silverware for inspection by purchasers.

In practical experience it has been found diflicult to display fiat silver or other similar ware in an artistic, pleasing manner so as to make the appeal desired for show purposes. As a consequence, flatware has sel dom been displayed in windows or otherwise featured in display in the stores.

()ne object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a chest which when closed may serve as a desirable container for the flatware, and when opened, the complete contents of the chest may be displayed a effectively,-partly in the body and partly in the cover of the chest, the construction being such that the relation of the parts for display purposes is predetermined by the formation and character thereof.

Heretofore it has been the custom to provide a container, in the form of a chest or other receptacle, with a bottom formation which presents separated supports for receiving each a plurality of pieces in nested relation, forming as a whole a rack for the pieces which is builtinto and forms a part of the container. To present a nice appearance and finish, the supports are covered with fabric, which also prevents the silver ware from being marred. W hen so presented, pieces can be displayed only in a definite position as held by the unremovable raclr. This is disadvantageous since the effect of a showing of the full'depth or thickness of the nested pieces is lost, dueto the height of the sides of the receptacle and the depth of the holding rack within it. Many other disadvantages accrue from the use of display chest of this character as will be ap-.

- words, the rack, while receivable within the chest in the usual horizontal position for transportation 1) rposes, is bodily removable therefrom and is portable for various purposes, The reinovability of the rack permits its arrangement within the chest for display purposes at such an angle that the form and design of the nested pieces can readily be scrutinized by intended purchasers; it permits the salesman to present to a purchaser the whole number of pieces in the rack for close inspection or handling to determine the weight of the silver, without disturbing the position of the chest itself in the show case or'other display location; it permits the rack with its contained silver to be displayed independently of the chest in locations where the chest is not suitable;

it permits the racks with all of the pieces carried thereby to be removed from the chest as units, and the chest and the racks with their contents are'indi i iually so lightin weight that they maybe 'moved separately, quickly and easily from place to place in the store; anchhy selling one 1111- attached rack as a article of merchandise, it permits the purchaser to transfer the silverware, while still held by the rack, and without handling, to the dining room side board drawers. This latter use is particularly advantageous since it'permits the use of the'rack as a holder of silver both in the drawer, while in use, and in the .chest, while i in storage, if the entire chest is sold as an article of merchandise. It will be understood that the number of portable racks, of

the character described, which may be employed with any particular chest will depend upon the size of the chest and the character of the display which is desired.

A further feature of the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the chestto provide for an adequate display of the contained silverware under the varying conditions obtaining in different stores where it is offered. for sale. To this end, the cover of the chest is unhinged, so that it may be removed bodily, and means is provided in the form of adjustable cover supports for sustaining it in an open position at varying angles to the top surface of the body of the chest, and with its lower edge below said surface if found desirable. .With this arrangement, the chest may be u sed, without the cover, in a low show case, or any other sufficient to receive it with the cover raised.

In such a case the silver racks may be set an angle within the chest, or one laid obliquely on its upper surface or beside it. Where the chest is used for display inn window, on a table, or other location wher the cover may be used, the cover supports are adjusted for positioning the coverat the mostadvantageousangle for light and shade and general attractiveness to the observer, and one of the portable acks is then laid against it. In order to sustain .arack or other display piece-on the cover, when in its an ular position a feature of the invention comprises means in the form of a bell: molding on the under side of the cover con structod to hold said piece in position thereon. fin important characteristic of the molding is that its arrangement and loca tion is such that it not only serves adequately to present to purchasers a display piece, such as one of the portable racks, but also serves to locate the removable cover on the body of the chest when the chest is closed.

These and other features of the invention, including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be further explained inthe following description and then pointed out in theappended claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation with the cover on; Fig. 2 is a plan with the cover ofl; Fig. 3 is an under side plan of the cover; 4; is a section on the-line 5-5 of Fig. 2 with the cover on and racks in storage position; Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the cover supports; Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the chest open withthe racks in displaypo- 1 sition; andFig. 7 is a perspective View similar to Fig. 6.

In the. embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings the chest is shown as throughout its interior able racks.

of rectangular form with an exterior configuration providingparallel fillets and mouldings combined in a manner to present a pleasing appearance. The preferable material used is mahogany but a particular material is not essential, as will be understood from the following description, nor is any special shape or exterior c nlignration essential, except that a chest polygonal in plan lends itself to the most effective use of the features of the invention.

The chest comprises a hollow body portion 10 and an unhinged cover 11 which closes an opening at the top surface of the body. The inner edge of the surface formed by the upper ledge of the side walls is provided with a marginal rabbet forming a. peripheral exterior shoulder 12. The underside of the cover is formed with a belt molding 13 pro riding a marginal shoulder of such proportions as to be seated within the body shoul der 1?. whenvthe cover is in closed position. The area of the opening presented by the molding i3 is the same as the area of the Opening in thebody as show-n by Fig. l.

Within the chest are front and rear, longit-udinal cleats let and 15 about midway the height of the walls thereof; and in the floor of the chest, below the rear cleat 15 are two rectangular openings 16. Adapted to be seated in said openings 16 are two cover supports 17 (Fig. 5) ofsome material capahle of being flexed to vary'its shape and to retain its newshape. These cover supports are preferably in the form of flexible inelastic strips, covered with-a textile material to preventinarring the chest. Each provides a lower portion .18 which enters an opening sented by the opening in the chest These raclcsare not secured to the chest in frmm or manner but are. separate. por able units that. may be freely removed and handled individually outs e the chest. The racks comprise a relati ly thin base-board having thereon supporting means for removably receiving in spaced relation a plurality of nested piles of different pieces of flatware and a soft rovering xmaterial. such as velvet.

The chest. also, is lined. to match the remov OVCl" SH (l 111821715.

Having thus described the constructional eatures of the chest, the manner of its use for display of the contained silver will now lit) chest and the top of the cover rests against after removing the unhinged cover ll, the

ends 18 ot' the suppoits are seated in the openings 16 as shown in Fig.6. One edgeof the cover may now be seated on the shoul- (let's 20 which depend at the back of the and. is supported by thcoblique portions 1.9. ()no of the removable racks is then taken from the chest'and laid on the cover, within the peripheral molding 13Wl1l'tll, as heretotore described, presents an opening of the dimensions of the eel; and,thereltore acts to hold and sustain the rack in displaymos tion on the cover. The obliquity of thepon' tions 19 of the cover supports to the surface of the chest is determined by the position V in. Fig. 6 with its rear surface resting against ti l the supports 17 and its front edge resting on a block 23, which is placed within the chest against its front wall for this purpose.

The display need not be limited to a use of the two contained silver racks but, if space permits, two additional racks of the same character may be placed beside the chest. This permits a unit lisplay presenting a complete set of silverware. Furthermore the use of the cover as a sup 'iort is not limited to sustaining a rack. Many stores that carry flatware cannot alford to carry hollow ware. In order to permit such stores to give to the observer a knowledge of the character and design of the hollow ware which matches the displayed llatwar the cover maybe used as a holder to sustain a display piece su h as a trained photograph or other illustration. of a tea set or other pieces of hollow ware in the dinner service oi the same design as the llatviare displayed in the remaining rack or racks.

in many stores the display inust necessarily be made in a pos tion where there is restricted head rooni. such as in a counter or wall show case. The advantage ell the urn hinged, removable cover in such locations is readily apparent. It is not possible to' arrange an open chest having a hinged cover in such cases, but with the present chest the cover supports can be bent to such form as to drop the cover seats down below the upper edge of the rear wall to the amount required to permit the cover still to rest thereon in the restricted head room and at the proper angle to adequately display the silver sustained thereby.

A chest of the present character embodying freely removable racks for holding the silver is of immense advantage to the house- Keeper. The raclrs may be placed intact in the sideboard drawers and used regularly as holders for dining room flatware. thus keeping the flatware in proper sorted order; and the racks may be talren from the side board drawers or from the chest itself, and used as trays from whichthe pieces are removed as wanted iii-setting the table. This leaves the unused pieces in an orderly arrangement and saves and trouble in making the required selection and arrang ment on the table.

It is particularly pointed out that construction and arrangement described permits g rnass display of the silverware, and those SlUllOtl in the are well aware of the inerchandisaing value of such a display. In one raclr flatware may be displayed Rd in another the knives grouped c gether, while both racks are in close pron U to each other, ll oil which is by he provision of removable silver racks.

The constructionand shape of the chest give it an ornamental appearance which desirably combines with the structural features in effectively displaying the ware.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been. indicated and the pre ferred form of the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed as new is zl. A. display chest for pieces of: silverware and the like having a body, a removable cover and a plurality of cover supports removably sustained by the body pro jecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom said supports being shaped to form a seat for receiving an edge of the cover and in a iv holding it at the rear of the body and at an angle to the surface thereof.

2. A display chest for pieces of silverware and the like having a body, a removable cover, and a plurality of strips of flexible inelastic material held within the body one end and projecting upwardly and in clined outwardly from said body, with intermediate cover seats, whereby the cover may. when remove l, e supported edgewise by said strips in v: rying positions relative to the surface of the top of the body by varying the angular relation of the outwardly inclined portions and seats of said strips to the portion within the body.

3. A display chest for pieces of silve ware and the like having a body. having recesses in the floor thereof to receive the lower ends of a plurality of flexible inelastic ill) 4. A display chest for pieces of silverware and the like comprising a body and a. cover, racks for the pieces mounted in the body and removable therefrom, said body having provision for supporting one ofthe racks therein in inclined display position, and said cover having provision for supporting and displaying a rack Wholly ,removed from the body, and meansto sustain the cover in open position.

5. A portable holder or tray for pieces of silverware in the form of a lightly con strueted, lidless rack adapted to be set looseiy, ike a tray, in a storage chest, sideboard drawer, or similar repository, said holder comprising supporting means secured theret for removably receiving in spaced relation a plurality of piles of diflerent pieces of'flatwear, each pile comprising like pieces superimposed on each other in nested relation, and soft covering material over said means to prevent marring the-pieces and also over the holder.

6. A portable holder or tray for the flat- Ware of a dinner servicecomprising a flat and relatively thin, lidless baseboard hav- 111g on one surface supporting means providing a plurality of open slots normal to the .plane of the base-board and each ofcourse dinner, and .a soft covering material about and in said slots and also over the base-board, whereby a complete combination of pieces as described may be lifted, carried and transferred Without effort to and from a storage chest, sideboard drawer or similar repository and the dinner table, said holder loosely,reposing in the repository in the form of a readily removable and portable open, tray-like rack from Which the silverware may instantaneously WILLIAM A. KINSMAN. HAROLD E. NOOK.

:be removed. 

